Trump Again Asked Zelensky Not to Attack an Oil Refinery in Russia — Axios
During a phone call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy on September 20, U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly called on Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries. According to Axios, Trump linked the attacks to the rise in global diesel prices.
According to the publication, the topic of Russian oil refineries came up several times during the conversation between the two presidents. A source familiar with the negotiations told the publication that Trump urged Zelenskyy to stop strikes on Russian oil industry facilities, citing the situation on the global diesel fuel market as his reason.
According to Axios’s source, the word “diesel” came up many times during the call—the topic of fuel arose against the backdrop of a sharp rise in prices in the U.S. and supply issues in the global market.
Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s oil infrastructure in recent months have disrupted operations at a number of major facilities. Reuters reported on September 15 that half of Russia’s six largest diesel refineries significantly reduced output or completely shut down certain production lines in September—specifically, facilities in Kirishi, Volgograd, and Nizhny Novgorod.
According to the agency, these six plants account for about half of all diesel production in Russia. Due to refining problems, Moscow has imposed restrictions on fuel exports in an effort to stabilize the domestic market. In the U.S., meanwhile, the price of diesel exceeded $6 per gallon for the first time on September 10.
At the same time, the situation in the fuel market is not solely linked to the Russian oil industry: according to Reuters, global supplies have also been affected by disruptions in the Middle East and a reduction in refining capacity in the region. Due to this combination of factors, the global diesel market remains tight.
Source: Axios
Read also:
Zelenskyy Held Talks with Trump: What Was Agreed Upon
Earlier, Trump claimed that an agreement had allegedly been reached between Ukraine and Russia not to attack energy infrastructure, but this turned out to be a figment of his imagination.
Ukraine proposed that Russia agree to cease attacks on infrastructure, according to Zelenskyy.
